If I Was Your Boyfriend

Justin's Point of View

'What do you mean the plane isn't here yet?' I bounce my foot impatiently starting from one attendant to the other. 'It's been nearly two hours.'

'Sir, we're trying the best we can at this moment. Please remain calm.'

'Is there anyway I could get a private helicopter or something to Los Angeles? I really just need to get home.'

'We'll see what we can do.' with that the attendants leave me in the small office to drown in my thoughts.

What if I'm too late and something happens to her. I can't live without Chrissy.

I call her phone to get her voicemail, which makes my stomach drop to my feet.

'Hey Chris, it's me. Again. Still at the airport. Please feel free to pick your phone up at anytime to let me know you're alright. I'm going half-out of my mind right now because you're not responding and I'm still stuck here. I'm trying to get the quickest way out right now but I don't know how long that is going to take. I'll be there as soon as I possibly can. I hope you're safe, I hope you're okay. I love you so much. Just call me when you get this.'

Chrissy's Point of View

'What's the matter?' Paul wonders curiously as he gets out to help me inside of the car.

'I-I don't know.' I shake my head from side to side slowly.

James left a voicemail saying he had found out who the person was that was following me around Los Angeles. He wanted to meet up with me so he could share the news when his voicemail was cut short by a crash in the background. A car wreck, I'm sure. Seconds later I heard his deafening scream on the other end of the receiver. This could not be happening.

'Chrissy, how did the appointment go?'

'It was fine.' I croak looking around suddenly feeling uneasy.

'Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?'

'I'm fine.'

'Alright, I'm taking you back home now if you don't have anywhere else to go.'

'Paul, I think something happened to James.'

'Who's James?' he turns around to stare at me confused.

'Someone I hired. He's a private investigator and he left me this voicemail.' I play the horrific voicemail once more staring at my phone.

'We need to get to the police, now. Call your parents and let them know to meet us there.'

At the police station Paul goes inside with my phone while I sit in the backseat hiding behind the tinted windows. I lost count of how many times I've dealt with police within the last week. I could maneuver my way around in the station with my eyes closed. It wasn't long before my parents rush over to the SUV. From the look of my mom's face I could tell I was about to get a lecture.

'Chrissy, it's not your job to find this person. It's the police's job.' dad says quietly.

'They're not doing a very good job of that, are they?'

'I'll try not to take offense to that.' Officer Carter trots down the steps with my phone in his hand. 'Have you played this for anyone else?'

'No.' I shake my head, 'I barely heard it myself.'

'We're checking all of the hospitals within the area right now. As soon as he gets there we'll know.'

'Why did you hire a private investigator?' my mom asks rubbing my arm with her hand.

'The same reason Jeff did. I got another note, threatening Justin's life. I couldn't let him get hurt because of me.'

'Where is he know? We'll need to send someone out to the his apartment to check in on him.'

'Don't worry, he's in Canada or on his way back from Canada.'

'Are you sure he went?' Carter raises an eyebrow and I feel my jaw drop.

'What are you implying?' My mom questions folding her arms across her chest.

'In cases like this, it could be something that's close to you.' Carter simply shrugs his shoulders.

'Don't try and make him your escape goat because the police department has gotten nowhere with this case.' I fight back, 'now please give me my phone.'

'As a police officer it is my job to rule out every possible suspect.'

'Since when was Justin a suspect?!'

'Quite frankly, I don't appreciate the hostility.'

'Excuse us officer.' my dad says excuses Officer Carter from the conversation.

With a tilt off his hat he turns on his heel and heads back into the building.

'We're going to see what's going on and see if Holbrook is around.'

'Okay.' As they walk away I pull my phone out and dial Justin after seeing he left two voicemails.

'Chrissy?' he answers with a lot of talking and wind blowing in the background.

'Justin?'

'What? I didn't catch that.'

'Are you still at the airport?'

'What?'

'Justin?'

The line beeps three times signaling the call had ended within seconds I had a new message from Justin.

Phone’s service screwing up. Getting on a helicopter. Be there soon. Hang in there. I love you baby. - Justin.

A helicopter? Have a safe trip. So much to fill you in on. I love you so much Justin. - Chrissy.

Ten minutes later my parents return with Paul, who was going to take me straight home.

'Thanks for the ride Paul.' I say, going inside of the house.

My parents were still not home from the police station or because Paul knew which shortcuts to take to my house and how to avoid the afternoon LA traffic. I grab my car keys from the kitchen drawer and slip out into the garage. I manage to leave the house before my mom and dad returned. After calling around to all the hospitals in the area someone finally lets it slip that James was there. I drive to the hospital and get out of my car making sure to lock it behind me.

‘Hi I called earlier. Is James allowed to have visitors now?’

The nurse stares at me clearly uneasy about the request. She looks from her left to her right before scribbling down onto a small piece of paper.

‘Be quick.’

‘I will. Thank you.’

I head around the corner getting a few second glances as I walked. I come to a stop in front of room 204 and hesitantly push the door open to look inside.

‘James?’ I ask lowly pushing the door open a bit more.

‘Who’s there?’ a hoarse voice echoes back.

‘Chrissy.’ I step inside of the room and close the door behind me. ‘I just wanted to check in on you. I didn’t think you were the flowers and balloons kind of guy.’

‘You are correct.’ He winces as he laughs.

‘What happened?’

‘It was him.’

‘Who?’

James sits up in the small hospital bed to speak but is cut off by a sharp knock on the door. He looks over at the door with a confused expression. I pull the door open where Officer Holbrook and Officer Carter appeared.

‘Chrissy, what are you doing here?’ Officer Holbrook raises an eyebrow.

‘I was just checking on James. I wanted to make sure he was okay.’

‘We have a few questions to ask him so you should clear out before your parents get worried.’ Holbrook gives me a light push towards the door. ‘Your mom will have my head if I don’t send you home.’

‘I’ll walk you out.’ Carter offers.

‘Okay.’ I decide to not fight it.

I follow Carter out to the front of the hospital to my car. I climb into the seat and attempt to start the car. Each time the engine cuts out.

‘That doesn’t sound good.’ Carter stares at the hood of my car, ‘you’ll want to get that checked out. I’ll give you a ride home if you’d like.’

‘Yeah, I should probably get home before I worry my parents half to death.’

‘Alright, my squad car’s on the other side.’

I follow Carter around the hospital’s parking lot to come before two squad cars. I climb into the large SUV and close the door behind me.

‘Do you mind if I stop off at my house? I left my radio.’

‘Okay.’

The car ride was fairly quiet besides his low humming. I check my phone for any message from Justin but there was nothing there. The ride seemed to go on forever before we finally came to a stop before a brick house out on a narrow road.

‘Nice house.’ I nod.

‘Thanks. You can come in. You can stay here. Your pick.’

‘I’ll wait here.’ I look up from my phone after checking Twitter.

‘Alright, I will be right back. Don’t touch the radio.’ He stiffs out a short laugh and rolls out of the car.

Ten minutes or so had passed and Officer Carter still hadn’t come out of the small house. I unbuckle my seat belt and jump out of the car then begin to walk towards the house. The front porch squeaked as I stepped onto it. I peer into the window looking into the front room. Plastered along the walls where clippings and photographs and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like I was looking in multiple mirrors. My phone lets out a loud chime causing me to jump.

It’s Carter. Stay away from him. – James.

My hands shake uncontrollably as I stumble from the steps. The door swings open and Carter stares down at me with an amused expression. “Closer than you think” he was always there.

‘So I’m guessing you finally figured it out.’ he smiles rocking back and forth on the heels of his shoes, ‘don’t feel so outsmarted, the game’s only started.’ He speaks with a wicked grin.

Justin’s Point of View

‘Thanks for the ride!’ I jump out of the car at the apartment. It took me about four more hours to get to LAX where I had to wait for a car service to pick me up after seeing all the taxis were filled. That time in the air was the longest of my life. I was going out of my mind waiting to land to hold Chrissy in my arms. I just wanted to hold her and tell her it was okay and nothing was going to hurt her. I wanted to lay with her and protect her from everything in the world. I run into the house and call Chrissy but she doesn’t answer so I grab my car keys and drive over to her house.

Police cars were lined all along side the streets and there were cops everywhere. A cop stops me before ordering me to roll down my window.

‘Chrissy’s my girlfriend. I’m here to see her and her family. Call her mom, I’m sure she’ll tell you who I am.’ I inform him before he finally lets me through.

I kill the engine and get out of the car then practically run into her house. Inside there were more police officers sitting with her parents in the living room. Danielle and Garrett were tucked away in the corner. Nikki, Chloe, and Paul talked in hushed tones in the kitchen. I have no idea what I just walked in to. Everyone’s eyes drop to me as I stumble through the doorway. Chrissy’s mom wears an expression that I had never seen before. Her dad’s eyes fall on me filled with remorse. If I didn’t know any better I would say the guy felt bad for me. I search everyone’s face for any indication about what was going down right now.

‘What happened? Where’s Chrissy?’

‘Justin, sit down.’ Chrissy’s mom advised putting a hand on the chair beside her. ‘There’s something we need to tell you.’